The core of the problem turned out to be that WebTV support techs really didn't understand the concept of a customer owning two devices. Since I had one device hooked up, and that was what they had registered, they didn't realize that I was now trying to hook up the second device. Instead, when I told them I had a DishPlayer and a WebTV Plus, they kept trying to convince me that I had just a DishPlayer.

Eventually, and this really took more than three hours of calling over two nights, I did get a technician who gave me the special reset codes that allowed me to register a new account. But it took two nights and by the end of it (I'd also been connected to billing no less than eight times!) I was so frustrated I actually threatened some poor guy that he'd wind up the star of this article (dude, if you're reading, sorry!).

If you've read my comments before, you know that generally I'm a pretty big fan of Microsoft. For such a large organization, everyone I've met has been down to earth and quite reasonable (while supporting Microsoft's own mission, of course). So when I criticize the folks at Microsoft, it's not from the point of view of one of the many Microsoft bashers. I really like these guys.

But I have to criticize WebTV's technical support. The initial set of phone menus is very confusing. There are repeated dead-ends where you wind up getting the numbers for manufacturers, but not a human. Once I got a human, I often wound up talking to someone in billing, rather than a technician.

And then, once connected to a technician, their escalation process is woefully inadequate. On my tenth or so attempt to call in, I told one technician I was tired of repeating all the details, please just let me speak to a manager. He refused, telling me that he'd get in trouble. I think all support organizations should allow their agents to forward cranky customers to an appropriate handler. This guy couldn't.

I found technicians who didn't know what an S-Video jack was (and when I told them my video was connected in that way, told me that I certainly had wired it wrong). And I couldn't get to anyone who was strong, really strong, technically. By contrast, when I've called Microsoft's normal technical support services, I've often been connected to very bright, very capable technicians. WebTV needs to integrate more of Microsoft's support methodology.

I've noticed an interesting pattern with consumer electronics companies (and arguably the WebTV part of Microsoft is such a company). The pattern is that they're comfortable dealing with regular consumers, but they're completely unprepared for the power-user consumer. The disconnect is when the power-user consumer has more knowledge that's not reflected in the knowledge base or question-tree of the support person. Consumer electronics companies need to consider that they may have actual "fans" who own multiple units. These are the same "fans" who may try to get the units to do more, or set them up strangely, or figure out other ways to push the envelope.